ain. 


ENTRANCE  TO  KING  S PALACE,  BANGKOK 


Anniversary 

Series 

$ 


Siam 

and 

Laos 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/siamlaosOOunse 


Seventy-fifth 

Anniversary 

Series 

$ 

Siam  and  Laos 


The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A. 
156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City 

May,  1912  Price  2c. 


L The  Coronation^ 
a King 

IL  A Governor’s 
Palace 

III.  The  Influence  of 
Noble  Lives 

IV.  A Year  of  Great 
Ingathering  in  the 
Laos  Mission 


I.  The  Coronation  of 
a King 

Dr.  C.  C.  Walker 

Siam  celebrated  with  great  pomp  and  royal 
splendor  the  coronation  of  her  young  King. 
His  Siamese  Majesty  and  the  Princes  of  the 
realm  have  spared  neither  pains  nor  money 
in  preparing  Bangkok  for  the  many  European 
Princes  and  Special  Envoys  who  came  as 
guests  of  His  Majesty  during  the  coronation 
festivities.  Bangkok,  lin  many  parts,  was 
turned  into  fairyland.  The  streets  were  re- 
gravelled, rolled  and  prettily  decorated  with 
flags,  banners  and  lanterns.  The  illumina- 
tions along  the  river  and  on  the  streets  of 
the  capital  city  were  gorgeous.  The  cere- 
monies in  connection  with  the  coronation 
lasted  ten  days.  The  program  was  one  con- 
tinuous round  of  festivities  in  connection  with 
the  coronation,  such  as  royal  dinners,  the- 
atre parties,  fair,  military  review,  river 
pageant.  Lord  Mayor’s  ball,  until  finally  His 
Majesty  appeared  in  a triumphal  procession 
in  full  royal  robes  with  all  the  gorgeous 
pomp  and  glory  befitting  a monarch  of  Siam. 
England  was  represented  by  T.  S.  H.,  the 
Prince  and  Princes  of  Teck;  Japan  by  Prince 
Fushimi,  Russia  by  Grand  Duke  Boris,  Den- 
mark by  Prince  Waldemar  and  his  three  sons, 
Sweden  by  Prince  Wilhelm  and  his  Princess. 
Spain,  which  cannot  boast  of  one  Spanish 
citizen  in  Siam,  was,  however,  represented  by 
a special  envoy.  The  United  States  Govern- 
ment appointed  the  Hon.  Hamilton  King,  at 
present  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the  Court 


3 


of  Siam,  as  special  Ambassador  to  represent 
the  President  at  the  coronation.  All  the  lead- 
ing courts  of  Europe  were  represented  on  this 
occasion,  which  was  by  far  the  greatest  cor- 
onation Siam  has  ever  planned.  The  people 
of  Siam  are  loyal  to  their  young  King  and  all 
entered  fully  into  the  holiday  spirit  of  coro- 
nation week. 

During  the  first  week  of  November  Bang- 
kok welcomed  back  the  Prince  of  Pitsanuloke, 
the  present  heir  to  the  throne,  and  his  family, 
who  represented  the  King  of  Siam  at  the 
coronation  of  King  George  V.  last  summer. 
During  the  same  week  a unique  and  novel 
ceremony  was  witnessed  by  the  residents  of 
Bangkok  upon  the  arrival  of  a young  white 
elephant  from  the  North.  White  elephants 
become  the  property  of  the  King  and  are  kept 
at  the  palace  because  of  the  good  luck  they 
bring  with  them.  At  the  same  time  a small 
white  monkey,  caught  in  the  jungles  of  the 
North,  was  also  presented  to  His  Majesty. 
His  Majesty  gave  the  sum  of  $190  as  a gift 
to  the  owner  of  this  strange  little  monkey. 
The  little  fellow  is  full  of  life  and  mischief 
and  is  now  on  exhibition,  together  with  the 
j'oung  elephant,  in  a beautiful,  large  pavillion 
especially  built  for  them.  On  the  sixth  of 
May  last  the  young  King  of  Siam  succeeded 
in  organizing  his  many  thousands  of  young 
Siamese  in  the  service  of  the  Government  into 
regiments  and  companies  for  daily  drill  and 
discipline.  These  men  wear  a black,  loose 
fitting  uniform,  trimmed  in  yellow,  and  call 
themselves  “The  Royal  Tigers.”  Similar 
companies  have  been  organized  at  all  the  pro- 
vincial capitals  throughout  the  Kingdom,  and 
number  over  4,000  men.  The  King  is  young 
and  in  vigorous  health,  and  wishes  in  this 
way  to  build  up  a strong,  robust  physique, 
develop  a spirit  of  national  unity,  and  incul- 
cate ideas  of  chivalry  among  his  many  thou- 
sands of  Siamese  in  the  employ  of  the  Gov- 


4 


eminent.  The  organization  is  growing  in 
popularity,  and  has  a worthy  object.  The 
movement  has  also  gripped  the  boys  in  all  of 
the  Government  schools,  and  over  4,000  are 
already  enrolled.  Each  school  has  its  uni- 
formed “Boys  Scout”  company  out  for  daily 
drill  and  discipline.  The  movement  com- 
mends itself  to  all,  and  we  wish  it  success 
and  long  life. 


11.  A Governor’s 
Palace 

Rev.  J.  H.  Freeman 

The  Governor  (Chow  Luang  or  Great 
Prince),  has  just  completed  his  beautiful  resi- 
dence at  Nan.  He  has  been  nearly  ten  years 
in  building  it.  It  is  situated  near  the  centre 
of  the  city,  built  of  brick,  the  walls  and  out- 
side plastered  with  cement  with  a hard  finish. 
It  is  two  stories  high.  The  main  part  is  about 
40  X 120  feet,  with  two  wings  40  x 50  each. 
The  lower  floor  is  intended  for  business  offices 
and  store  rooms.  Besides  the  inner  stair- 
ways, two  commodious  stairways  upon  the 
outside  give  ascent  to  the  ante-chamber 
40  X 40.  Opening  from  this  is  the  Hall  of 
Audience  40  x 60  with  a spacious  portico  be- 
yond. The  sleeping  apartments  occupy  the 
two  wings.  Heavy  awnings  projecting  over 
the  windows  are  ornamental  and  protect  from 
our  tropical  sun. 

Great  attention  is  given  to  the  finishing  of 
the  gables.  As  the  Ox  is  recognized  as  the 
tutelar  spirit  of  Nan,  it  is  depicted  in  the 
center  with  two  dragons  on  either  side. 
Other  gables  are  finished  with  fine  scroll  work 
in  teak.  The  roof  is  in  native  style  of  tiered 
roofs,  with  the  customary  huge  gilded  horn 


5 


rising  above  each  gable,  the  effect  being  very 
pleasing. 

November  1st  and  2d  were  given  to  the 
dedication  of  the  palace.  A high  brick  wall 
encloses  the  grounds.  The  cost  has  been  about 
$37,000. 

The  Governor  is  eighty-one  years  of  age, 
and  though  still  erect  is  quite  feeble.  Sight 
and  hearing  are  both  gradually  failing  him. 
Could  he  have  enjoyed  his  new  home  earlier 
in  life  it  would  have  given  him  more  pleas- 
ure. He  is  surrounded  with  many  kind  chil- 
dren who  share  responsibility  with  him.  The 
dedication  was  a great  event  in  Nan.  All  re- 
gretted that  Prince  Ooperat — the  Governor’s 
brother  and  second  in  power — was  ordered  to 
attend  the  Coronation  of  the  King  in  Bang- 
kok and  could  not  be  present.  Thousands  of 
people  gathered  to  see  the  ceremony  and  join 
in  the  festivities.  The  missionaries  all  had 
written  invitations  and  attended  in  a body. 
The  Governor  was  escorted  to  his  new  man- 
sion by  all  high  officials  and  friends,  where 
many  congratulations  were  given  him.  The 
afternoon  was  given  up  to  sports.  One  that 
was  heartily  enjoyed  was  a tug  of  war  be- 
tween the  Governor’s  big  elephant  and  eighty 
men.  It  was  a pretty  even  pull  but  the  men 
finally  took  the  prize. 

Food  alone,  for  the  banquet,  cost  $600. 
Spirit  worship  was  not  observed  in  any  of  the 
ceremonies,  which  is  very  unusual.  The  Gov- 
ernor abandoned  the  practice  himself  several 
years  ago,  and  has  lately  issued  a proclamation 
forbidding  spirit  worship.  A great  step  in  the 
right  direction. 

No  drunkenness  was  seen,  nor  rough  lan- 
guage heard  during  all  the  ceremonies,  which 
speaks  well  for  the  Laos  people. 


6 


III.  The  Influence  of 
Noble  Lives 


Rev.  E.  P.  Dunlap,  D.D. 

The  first  Christian  funeral  ever  held  in  the 
region  of  Tap  Teang — the  newest  station  of 
the  Siam  Mission — was  that  of  Col.  Kohls, 
who  gave  twenty-two  years  of  faithful  ser- 
vice to  Siam  in  the  survey  department,  the 
army,  and  of  late  years  most  efficient  service 
in  the  Gendarmes.  He  was  the  friend  of  the 
missionary  and  was  brought  to  them  in  his 
last  illness.  They  ministered  to  him  and 
tried  their  best  to  save  his  life,  but  he  quietly 
passed  away.  The  funeral  was  attended  by 
the  High  Commissioner,  the  Governor  of  the 
Province,  a guard  of  honor  from  the  Gen- 
darmes, many  local  officials  and  people  from 
the  neighborhood.  All  listened  attentively  to 
the  teachings  of  Christianity  concerning  the 
future  life.  The  High  Commissioner  in- 
structed the  missionaries  to  select  a suitable 
plot  for  a cemetery  and  there,  on  the  slope 
of  a pretty  green  hill,  is  the  first  grave  of  our 
Christian  cemetery  at  Tap  Teang.  The  King 
of  Siam  sent  a monument  to  mark  the  spot. 

Col.  Kohls,  during  a trip  when  passing 
through  Tap  Teang,  not  long  before  his  death, 
stopped  long  enough  to  make  a cheerful  gift 
to  the  work.  In  former  years  he  had  shown 
substantial  interest  in  the  work  of  the  Mis- 
sion. 

We  honor  these  brave  men  who  endure 
hardships  of  the  jungles,  as  several  about 
there  are  doing,  and  as  did  our  departed 
friend,  for  the  development  of  Siam.  Our 
homes  at  Tap  Teang  are  ever  open  to  them, 
and  we  are  always  glad  to  have  them  come 
and  break  bread  with  us,  and  hear  them,  so 
cheerfully,  relate  their  experiences.  We  have 
their  sympathy  and  help  in  the  good  that  we 


7 


are  trying  to  do  for  Siam.  Should  there  be 
a great  gulf  between  the  missionaries  and  the 
men  who,  like  us,  have  come  to  help  Siam? 
Many  of  them  have  come  from  Christian 
homes.  Some  of  them  with  Christ’s  love  in 
their  hearts.  They  need  us.  We  need  them. 
If  we  stand  aloof  they  are  sure  to  stand 
aloof.  We  shall  not  make  a mistake  if  we 
approach  such  men  on  the  true  plane  of 
Christian  friendship.  All  over  the  East  it 
is  possible  to  gain  their  help  in  mission  work. 
In  Siam,  for  thirty  years  or  more,  we  have 
approached  them  in  behalf  of  the  Master’s 
work,  and  we  have  never  appealed  in  vain. 

I believe  that  it  fs  possible  to  enlist  their 
co-operation  all  over  the  East.  It  is  due  these 
men  that  we  cheerfully  offer  them  induce- 
ments to  invest  in  the  Master’s  work.  The 
writer  recalls  the  words  of  a German  natur- 
alist who  years  ago  made  his  way  away  up  to 
Chieng  Mai  and  was  welcomed  to  the  home 
of  the  great,  warm-hearted  Christian  friend 
of  everybody,  our  beloved  Dr.  Jonathan  Wil- 
son, so  recently  gone  above.  Dr.  Wilson  loved 
the  trees  and  all  plant  life,  and  told  the 
naturalist  much  about  them.  There  was  soon 
a strong  bond  between  the  two  men.  Al- 
though he  was  a Rationalist  and  the  other  a 
Christian  missionary,  there  was  a love  in  the 
home  of  the  missionary  that  won.  The  weeks 
passed  altogether  too  quickly  for  the  Ger- 
man naturalist. 

Who  that  ever  walked  with  Jonathan  Wil- 
son can  forget  his  manly,  musical  words  about 
Jesus.  When  the  naturalist  came  down  to 
Bangkok  he  said  in  the  German  Club : 

“You  think  me  to  be  a skeptic,  a Ration- 
alist. But  I have  read  the  Bible  enough  to 
know  considerable  about  the  person  of  Jesus 
Christ.  And  I want  to  tell  you  that  the 
good  old  missionary  with  whom  I lodged  in 
Chieng  Mai  is  more  like  Jesus  than  any  other 
man  that  I have  seen  on  this  earth.” 


8 


Yes,  the  late  Jonathan  Wilson,  beloved  by- 
all  who  knew  him,  had  learned  the  true  way 
to  approach  a fellow  man- — Laos  or  foreign. 
He  got  the  secret  from  daily  converse  with 
Jesus. 

Forty-seven  men  and  women  have  sought 
to  join  the  little  company  of  disciples  of 
Jesus  here.  Twenty-two  of  them  were  bap- 
tized and  four  children,  all  gladly  received, 
and  the  remaining  persons  were  enrolled  in 
the  class  of  catechumens.  At  least  fifteen  of 
the  number  were  won  by  the  first  Siamese 
Christians  of  this  region  who  for  many  years 
lived  and  testified  for  Jesus.  The  spirit  of 
aggressive  testimony  for  Jesus  seems  to  be 
taking  hold  of  the  Christians  here.  We  are 
hopeful  that  many  shall  be  won  for  the 
Master. 


IV.  A Year  0/ Great  Ingathering 
in  the  Laos  Mission 

Rev.  Hugh  Taylor,  D.D. 

The  year  that  has  just  closed  for  the  Laos 
Mission  has  been  one  of  marked  growth  and 
much  promise  for  the  future.  If  one  may 
single  out  a few  things  as  specially  worthy 
of  note,  four  facts  stand  out  with  promi- 
nence : the  recognition  with  more  definiteness, 
and  wider  knowledge  of  our  field,  first  by  the 
Mission,  then  by  the  Board,  of  the  respon- 
sibility laid  upon  us  as  a mission  and  upon 
the  Church  we  represent  to  give  the  Gospel 
to  the  whole  Laos  race,  of  whom  the 
Laos  in  Siam  are  less  than  one-third;  sec- 
ond, the  marked  interest  everywhere  shown 
in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  evidenced  by 
large  accessions  in  every  station  and  almost 
every  out-station  of  the  Mission,  and  by  the 


large  number  of  catechumens  and  enquirers 
reported  from  widely  separated  points;  third, 
increasing  interest  in  schools,  not  only  our 
Mission  schools,  but  in  equal  degree  the  Gov- 
ernment schools,  have  shared  in  this  increase; 
fourth,  the  passing  on  to  higher  service  of  the 
two  veterans  who,  during  more  than  fifty 
years  of  service  together  in  Siam,  and  nearly 
fifty  of  service  among  and  for  the  Laos  people 
(counting  from  their  first  exploring  tour  in 
1863)  have  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  until 
in  the  very  midst  of  fruitful  labor  they  were 
called  to  their  reward. 

The  average  additions  on  confession  the  pre- 
ceding ten  years  had  been  about  250,  the  larg- 
est in  any  year  about  400;  this  year  613  in  our 
Laos  churches  have  confessed  Christ  before 
men.  One  marked  characteristic  of  this 
movement  toward  Christianity  has  been  the 
large  share  in  it  of  evangelistic  medical  work, 
both  in  our  hospitals  and  in  out-stations. 
Sickness  in  almost  all  cases  is  attributed  by 
the  people  to  evil  spirits;  every  epidemic  of 
whatever  sort  is  accompanied  by  multiplied 
offerings  intended  to  appease  these  angry  spir- 
its, and  when  these  fail  and  all  other  hope  is 
gone,  then  and  only  then,  as  a rule,  non- 
Christian  people  come  to  the  Christian  physi- 
cian. The  most  serious  epidemic  of  malarial 
fever  most  of  us  have  ever  seen  has  carried 
off  thousands  everywhere,  and  rendered  a still 
larger  number  incapable  for  weeks  of  any 
real  work.  The  result  has  been  widespread 
distress  and  poverty,  both  among  Christians 
and  non-Christians;  with  this  have  come  op- 
portunities for  Christ-like  ministry  that  have 
resulted  in  tearing  down  many  a spirit-shrine 
and  other  signs  of  the  old  worship.  But  aside 
and  beyond  this  everywhere  is  an  unwonted 
willingness  to  listen  and  learn. 

The  Government  is  placing  added  emphasis 
on  its  schools  and  steadily  moving  toward  a 
higher  standard  and  toward  compulsory 


10 


school  attendance.  We  must  aim  at  least  to 
keep  pace  with  this  movement,  and  make  our 
schools  no  less  efficient  than  those  with  which 
we  must  compete,  with  the  added  attraction  of 
English  which  all  desire,  but  the  Government 
schools  cannot  as  yet  supply.  If  we  cannot 
do  this  we  cannot  hold  our  own  Christian 
pupils,  much  less  draw  in  those  we  would  win 
to  Christ-  The  Government  seems  to  be 
aiming  to  reach  the  standard  of  the  Japanese 
school  system,  but  here  its  situation  is  like 
that  of  the  Japanese  in  Korea,  amid  a people 
kindred  indeed  to  the  Siamese,  but  using  a 
different  alphabet,  and  differing  widely  in 
speech  and  customs.  We  must  hold  their  con- 
fidence as  well  as  that  of  the  Laos. 

If  we  start  back  at  a time  when  they  were 
not  yet  counting  the  converts  by  the  hundreds 
and  reckon  up  to  date  we  find  that  the  net 
increase  per  year  for  the  last  twenty-five 
years  has  been  180.  To-day  a native  church, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  4,500  members  is  daily 
adding  to  its  strength.  An  increasing  propor- 
tion is  seeing  the  vision  of  the  possibilities 
and  is  reaching  out  in  earnest  zeal  to  grasp 
every  opportunity  to  further  advance  the  cause 
of  the  Kingdom.  Around  them  are  three  mil- 
lion of  their  own  people  and  for  these  they 
are  working  with  a zeal  that  only  needs  educa- 
tion and  guidance.  Consider  for  a moment 
the  task  the  minister  in  the  American  church 
has  on  hand  when  some  gracious  outpouring 
has  brought  into  his  fold  a dozen  or  score 
of  young,  zealous  souls.  They  must  be  taught 
and  led.  Many  times  more  necessary  is  it 
that  the  4,500  converts  from  heathenism  be 
taught  in  the  faith.  Add  to  this  necessity  that 
of  giving  their  children  all  the  education  they 
will  ever  receive;  and,  in  addition,  the  task 
of  manning  the  only  press  that  can  scatter 
literature  among  the  Laos  reading  tribes;  and 
still  more  the  task  of  manning  the  only  hos- 
pitals and  dispensaries  in  the  land  which  in 


11 


any  substantial  way  minister  to  the  physical 
sufferings  of  three  millions  of  people.  Con- 
sider all  this  and  you  will  conceive  the  task 
that  rests  upon  the  little  band  of  missionaries 
working  in  Northern  Siam. 

Brethren!  read  the  Seventy-fifth  Annual 
Report.  It  has  a Laos  section.  Read  into 
it  all  that  has  been  left  out  by  the  reductor 
who  was  compelled  to  cut  it  down  to  the  re- 
quired number  of  words;  read  into  it  what 
the  authors  were  compelled  to  leave  out  to 
make  the  required  number  of  pages;  read  into 
it  the  miracles  that  ministering  hands  have 
performed  on  the  suffering  bodies;  read  into 
it  the  froMjformed  minds  of  the  hundreds  of 
youth  in  our  schools ; read  into  it  the  re- 
formed lives  of  all  the  new-born  souls;  read 
into  it  the  tears  of  joy  and  the  heart-shouts 
of  gladness  that  are  drawn  from  each  worker 
as  each  new  incident  attests  the  work  of  God’s 
spirit,  the  power  of  the  Gospel,  the  assurance 
of  victory. 


The  Presbyterian  Church  is  the 
One  Denomination  at  Work 
in  Siam  and  Laos 


The  total  number  of  American  Presbyterian 
missionaries  at  work  in  Siam  and  Laos  is  88. 
The  native  force,  161.  There  are  33  organ- 
ized churches  with  5,519  communicants;  Sab- 
bath-schools  number  67,  with  4,282  pupils;  day 
and  boarding-schools  of  all  grades,  38,  with  an 
enrollment  of  1,487  pupils.  There  is  one  print- 
ing press  which  last  year  had  an  output  of 
4,008,000  pages.  Ten  hospitals  and  nine  dis- 
pensaries treated  during  the  year  just  closed, 
37,169  patients. 


18 


'•  . vLf*. 


V, 


I 

C 


